If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Planing Long Boards

04-10-2002, 12:25 PM

I have some barn wood that I am looking forward to planing. The boards are 10' long and I planned on planing them like that, thinking that any snipe on the ends could be cut off. Is this the way to go or should I cut them to approximate length and plane them that way?

If you don't have a project in mind yet and therefore a cut list, IMHO, I would stay at full length (more flexibility and less potential waste.) I don't think the planner will have a problem as long as you have plenty of support on both ends.

I'm sure you already know but its always a good reminder to look old lumber like that over real close. Those pesky nails have a tendency to have the heads rusted or broken off leaving a little land mine behind that's often very hard to see. If you have access to a metal detector it would really help. I don't know what it would do to a planner but it sure did a number on a set of jointer knives a few years back.

Comment

If you don't already know what you're going to do with it, I would urge not doing anything at all. Sure as heck you plane the stuff, an urgent need will come up for rough stock barn boards.

I'm a lazy guy, I tend to want to tote around lighter pieces rather than heavier. Lighter pieces are also going to be much less likely to snipe on you, since they don't lever against the planer so much.

Last, if you do plane them at that size, remember that you're going to need close on thirty clear feet to safely plane them. Lifting a large, heavy board just flat needs more clearance than the smaller, daintier ones. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Comment

Hey Dog, I think your southern translator's on the fritz, seein' as how it missed your last sentence. I reckin' you better fix it [img]smile.gif[/img]

As for the barn wood, I only plan on planing as I need it. The first project is going to be a jelly cupboard, so I know what sizes I'm going to need and all of that. You kind of hit my concern, Dave, when you said there will likely be more snipe with a 10' lever arm. I think I will plane the boards after they're cut.

Thanks for all yall's help! (I just downloaded northern translator 3.0...how did it work? )

Comment

BTW, if you're that interested in jelly, you may want my recipe for southern cathead biscuits........great with fresh cow salve(AKA butter for you northern boys) and your favorite jelly. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Comment

The only suggestion I would add is to be sure to check for nails and pieces of metal prior to planing. Those old barn boards are full of pieces of metal. I don't suppose you have one of those hand-held metal detectors that we see Norm use from time to time?

Seriously though - my brother ruined a good set of knives planing old wood that he thought was free of metal.

Comment

one more thing you may want to check on besides the nails. if the boards are painted ( yes up here in wisconsin we paint our barns) its damned hard on the blades i ruined a set on a 5' hunk of barn board just because of the paint